Small, tender green beans, 3 - 4 inches long, are best for sauteing. Larger beans should be snapped in two and parboiled before being sauteed.
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and curshed
1 lb small, tender green beans, top end trimmed
salt and freshly ground pepper
handful of dried bread crumbs ( I used Panko crumbs)
Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic cloves and, when they begin to sizzle and color, add the beans. Cook, tossing repeatedly, for 4-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and grind over some pepper. Add the crumbs and toss or stir with a wooden spoon only until the crumbs are crisp and begin to color.